The Cross: Love Poured Out (Isaiah 53:3–6; Romans 5:6–8; John 19:30)

Today is Good Friday—a strange name for such a solemn day. A day where darkness covered the land, the Son of God was crucified, and death seemed to have the final word.

But we call it Good because, on this day, the greatest act of love was poured out for a world in desperate need of redemption.

I. The Cross Was Not an Accident — It Was a Divine Appointment (Isaiah 53:3-6)

3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

A. The Servant Suffers.

“Despised” describes how contemptible, despicable, and revolting he was considered by some. “rejected by men” is an odd expression that literally means “ceased, stopped” by men. Possibly it means that he “ceased to be among men” or was “shunned by men”; in some way, the Servant was isolated from the community around him by his own people.

Centuries before Jesus walked the earth, Isaiah prophesied of a suffering servant. A man despised and rejected, bearing the sins of many. This was not a tragedy that took God by surprise—it was a mission of mercy. Jesus came not to be spared from suffering, but to step into it, for us.

B. The Servant’s Suffering for Others

The reason for this suffering was “because of our rebellion” and “because of our iniquities.” This forthright confession of guilt plainly states that the Servant suffered the consequences for “our” sinful acts. It involved a just punishment for rebellious acts. It was also substitutionary because the punishment that should have fallen on the Israelites, “us” who sinned were transferred instead to the Servant.

This punishment was designed for the purpose of securing our peace, implying that peace was achieved with God because the just punishment he required was suffered by the Servant. The cross was not Plan B. It was God’s plan to bring us back home.

II. The Cross Is Where God's Love and Justice Met (Romans 5:6–8)

6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

A. When we were utterly helpless.

God is holy and just—sin cannot be ignored. But God is also love. The cross is the place where both His justice and His love were fully displayed. Jesus bore the punishment we deserved, not because we earned it or asked for it, but because He loves us.

Sin can not go unpunished, it has to be paid for! We can’t just assume that God will just forget about our sins. There is nothing that God will do that He ever leaves undone. Everything has to be dealt with because He is the God of order. Without order there is chaos. Once sin is dealt with then our sins are as far as the east is from the west.

B. The Greatness of God’s Love.

Reflect, then, on the greatness of this grace—this divine love shown to us in Jesus Christ. Impelled by a love that far transcends the limits of normal human love, Christ came to die for us—not because we were good or righteous, but when we were still ungodly, deserving nothing but the anger and judgment of God. If God loved us enough to do that when we were still sinners, how much more will he do for us, as His children?

The remarkable thing about the death of Christ was that it took place “while we were still sinners”. God did not wait until we had performed well enough to merit his love before he acted in love on our behalf. Christ died for us while we were still alienated from him and cared nothing for his attention or affection. The proof of God’s amazing love for us is the gift of his only Son. The cross defines what Scripture means by “love”.

III. The Cross Calls Us to Respond (John 19:30)

30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

A. "It is finished."

The drink of vinegar did not fully quench His thirst, but it did enable Him to utter that shout of triumph, in a loud voice, “It is finished!” In the Greek text, it is tetelestai; and it means, “It is finished, it stands finished, and it always will be finished!”

While it is true that our Lord’s sufferings were now finished, there is much more included in this dramatic word. Many of the Old Testament prophecies were now fulfilled, and the once-for-all sacrifice for sin had now been completed.

B. Tetelestai.

The word tetelestai is unfamiliar to us, but it was used by various people in everyday life in those days. A servant would use it when reporting to his or her master, “I have completed the work assigned to me”. When a priest examined an animal sacrifice and found it faultless, this word would apply.

Perhaps the most meaningful meaning of tetelestai was that used by the merchants: “The debt is paid in full!” When He gave Himself on the cross, Jesus fully met the righteous demands of a holy law; He paid our debt in full. None of the Old Testament sacrifices could take away sins; their blood only covered sin. But the Lamb of God shed His blood, and that blood can take away the sins of the world.

Jesus declared that the debt had been paid in full. No more sacrifices. No more striving. The work of salvation was complete.

But it’s not just a historical fact—it’s a personal call.

Will you believe this love is for you?

Will you lay down your burdens at the foot of the cross?

Will you surrender your life to the One who gave His for yours?

As we reflect on the cross today, may we not rush past the pain, the blood, the sacrifice. Stay there. Let it break your heart. And then let it fill you with wonder.